Assistant Product Management Manager (8 Months Contract)

Position Summary

The Assistant Product Management Manager is responsible for managing the assortment (8Q Innovation or renovation product launches or to promotion projects (ad hoc) within the region in line with business requirements and objectives. The key activities involve leading price analysis, pack type and assortment analysis, pack and print design development, pack & print design adaptation and proofreading, packaging material online approval and signed off, competitors’ analysis inclusive of architecture/price/assortment/packaging and claims, liaison and follow up with internal cross functions and external agencies to meet the Projects deliverable on time.

You will play an essential role to:

Manage day-to-day product management for Baby category:

• Manage and oversee the product launch/relaunches for any global or regional projects to ensure proper alignment with the brand strategy; local team/in line with local market needs as well as timely execution of the tasks.
• Drive the development of the launch plan together with internal cross functions (Product Supply/ Planning, Marketing Innovation and VIC) and external supplier (OEM, creative agencies, printers) for the launch/relaunch projects.
• Co-own the regional product development/innovation planning process and plan with Technical Product managers/developers on areas of pricing, pack configuration and packaging, product architecture / assortment strategies
• Point of contact and interface with VIC, TPM and in-market commercial stakeholders related to product and packaging.
• Set up SKU Code.
• Support the development and roll down of the Commercial Deck to local team’s pre-launch.

Brand & Packaging Management

• Custodian of the Brand Guidelines on Packaging
• Manage and drive the enhancement and development of overall aesthetic and design features of the product and packaging to meet the project deliverables as well as all artwork proofreading.

Competitive Analysis

• Lead in the local in market competitive reviews and research reviews for holistic understanding of the market landscape/dynamics and brand/competitor performance (This includes claims and packaging).

Innovation

• Together with Marketing Innovation team, to explore and execute opportunities that can bring incremental sales and growth to the category business such as new line extension, geographical expansion, and any other strategic initiatives

Ad Hoc

• Lead Ad hoc tasks that are assigned from time to time
• Lead Regional reporting and analysis inclusive of ad hoc analysis to identify issues and recommend solution to bring business improvement.

Budget: manage initiatives expenditure with the A&P budget allocated.

To be successful in this role, you will need to have:

• At least 2 - 5 years working experience in a similar capacity, preferably in a marketing and/or brand/product management related functions such as advertising or research
• Strong strategic thinking skills – ability to go over various data to derive conclusion and recommendations. Comfortable with using not only data as a tool for decision making, but also with using judgement/assumptions/understanding of the market in deriving conclusions/recommendation. Able to understand the need to see the ‘big picture” as the same time can consider important details that is relevant and critical to the local countries
• Strong planner and can manage multiple projects – good project management. Drives projects forward despite challenges/obstacles. Able to prioritize and manage different projects based on business needs. Can highlight critical milestone for Project completion
• Interpersonal skills – able to solicit/obtain support from management, local teams and other functions and individuals for projects tasks despite absence of official authority level. Able to communicate effectively both verbal and written to different levels.
• Has initiative, assertive, self-motivated, inquisitive, and open to new ideas
• Highly creative with ability to think out of box
• Ability to conduct research-desktop or via third party and analyze data.
• Comfortable working with numbers, metrics, and spreadsheets
• Exposed to marketing/brand role within FMCG/MNC industry is an added advantage